Crystal Kardynal (centre) puts the fine touches on a man’s do at the haircut fundraiser last year.

"We get crazy, we get goofy, we have fun. We’re hairstylists, we’re crazy, we’re fun," said stylist Crystal Kardynal, who started the event with fellow stylist Kirsten Lillie last year.

There will be eight stylists giving $20 haircuts and $10 "mini-manicures" (including gold nail-painting) to raise funds for the CK5 oncology ward at the Children’s Hospital this year, Kardynal said.

"That’s the most important part, because the CK5 ward is where all Manitoba children go to get their treatment," she said.

According to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, more than 130,000 children are treated for cancer each year.

Kardynal believes childhood cancer is an underfunded cause which gets a very small portion of overall cancer donations.

She and Lillie were inspired to start the event last year by a friend whose son was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer at 23 months of age. The boy is now in remission, she said.

Half of donations will go directly to the CK5 ward, Kardynal said, while half will be spent on a children’s wish list for the ward.

Last year they raised $5,500, which they donated to the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

"Hopefully we’ll do more because we have more stylists this year, and we’re also doing a silent auction," she said, adding they planned last year’s event in one month and are "so much more organized" this time around.

They have donations of ice cream from McDonald’s and slushies and coffee from Mac’s, she said, and there will be face-painting and temporary tattoos.

There will also be gold ribbons and shirts — the colour for childhood cancer awareness.

"I wear a gold ribbon on me every day," Kardynal said.

If anyone can’t come out on June 22 but would still like to donate to the cause they can do so online at tinyurl.com/haircutsforchildhoodcancer

And although it’s not necessary to have your head shaved, it’s always an option.

"We did actually have a few people last year who did shave their heads," Kardynal said.

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